We Radiate
by He Who Writes His Own Canon
Summary: When a new arrival brings a sinister supernatural force no one has seen before, things for the Pack will change in ways none of them could have predicted. Isaac/OC eventual M/M romance. DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N**_ : Here I am, doing it again. Attempting another _Teen Wolf_ story, but this time, it's full-length and it's also one of my first tries at a supernatural story. I welcome all reviews, good, bad, constructive criticism preferred if bad though.

* * *

One would think that with werewolves, shapeshifters, banshees, and the like running around Beacon Hills that things couldn't get any weirder. Well, they're wrong. A new kind of sinister supernatural force has arrived and it's going to take an outsider to help bring it down. But you're probably thinking... what kind of outsider can possibly help the already existent supernatural creatures take defense against this new breed of evil? Let me just tell you now, he's like nothing you've seen before.

* * *

The red Prius pulled up at Beacon Hills High School and the driver door opened, out stepping a short, mop-haired brunet. He walked to the trunk and opened it, pulling his backpack out from between the two duffel bags that he'd hurriedly packed. Shutting the cover with a moderate slam, Joel Richardson turned and took a glance at his new school, sighing.

"Well, here goes nothing."

Having just moved from Westerville, Ohio, Joel knew that, for the time being, he couldn't return home, especially after his latest crazy stunt. But, hey, someone had to save that kid from eternal public humiliation, even if it meant cracking a few preppie skulls. Joel meant well, even though his idea of good intentions brought a lot of grief on everyone else.

"What are you, the Lorax? Do you speak for the trees?" A tall boy in a lacrosse jersey sneered, shoving past Joel. The two guys with him laughed obnoxiously, but Joel, keeping his cool over his normally short fuse, only smirked.

"At least I don't run around, knocking into other guys to gain the upper hand for a rubber ball, now, do I?" The jock stopped and turned, green eyes focused intently on Joel. He walked back over, towering over Joel, who seemed completely unfazed by the impending threat.

"You clearly have no perception of what lacrosse is, do you?" Joel felt the handle of a lacrosse stick poking into his stomach.

"Ooh, that must be a big word for you. By the way, is that a lacrosse stick or are you just glad to see me?" Joel's smirk remained in place as he lightly pushed the jock backwards. "If you honestly believe that you're intimidating me right now, dude, you are sorely mistaken."

The jock made a move towards Joel, but one of his buddies grabbed his arm. "Jackson, don't. Some new kid's not worth it." The boy named Jackson yanked his arm out of his friend's grip and glared daggers at Joel.

"You're right," he spat. "Fucking dwarf isn't worth detention." He stalked off, the two guys in tow.

"Wow, you must have some kind of death wish, huh?" A voice said pointedly. Joel turned to see another boy, this one with dark hair, standing next to a Jeep.

Joel looked the boy up and down and, deeming him a non-threat, smiled. "Nothing more than an asshole jock. Trust me, I've dealt with loads of them before."

"None like Jackson, I'm sure, but that's a discovery all its own," the boy said. He grabbed his own backpack out of the Jeep's front seat and extended his hand to Joel. "Stiles Stilinski."

Joel accepted the friendly gesture and nodded. "Joel Richardson. I think you can already tell that I'm new here. Besides, if I keep up the way I just talked to that guy, I'm unlikely to be making very many friends."

"Anyone with enough cajones to mouth off to Jackson Whittemore is good in my book," Stiles said, putting an arm around Joel's shoulder and leading him inside. "My buddy Scott and I will show you the ropes." Joel followed, feeling accomplished that even within the first ten minutes of being at a new school, he'd made a friend, something he'd always had trouble with, granted his negative outlook on life and generally cynical attitude towards virtually everyone.

As Stiles guided him through the school, Joel looked around, taking in his new surroundings. From a distance, he saw Jackson talking to a strawberry-blonde girl who was actually doing more talking than he was. To his right was another dark-haired boy in a deep conversation with a brunette. Stiles steered him in their direction.

"Scott!" He called out. The boy looked up and grinned; the girl turned and gave Stiles an annoyed look.

"Stiles, of all the times that you had to yell across the hallway..." She started, but Stiles cut her off.

"Scotty, buddy, this is Joel," he introduced, pulling Joel in front of him. Joel cleared his throat nervously and smiled weakly.

"Um, hey," he murmured, looking down at his worn-out sneakers.

"And this is Allison, Scott's girlfr—" Scott elbowed Stiles and he shut up.

"Has he been talking your ear off?" Scott asked, a knowing smirk on his lips. Joel nodded slightly as Stiles looked mildly offended.

Joel detached himself from the small gathering and walked outside, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He put one into his mouth and flicked his lighter when he heard a quiet gasp. Looking around, he spotted a curly-haired boy sitting behind a dumpster.

"Are you okay?" Joel pocketed the lighter and bent down next to him. The boy scooted away quickly and Joel could feel him tense up as if he were going to attack him. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." He lowered his voice and sat down where he knelt, keeping a fair distance between him and the boy. "What's your name?"

"I—Isaac," he whispered, looking at his hands.

"I'm Joel. I'm new here. I, uh, don't know why you're scared or upset, but just know that I'm not going to attack you or anything." Joel dug around in his backpack and found a pack of tissues, handing them to Isaac, who wiped his eyes. "When the news gets around here, and trust me, it will, you're going to hear things about me. Bad things. They're going to fuck the truth around and make me out to be the bad guy. You're hearing this from me first-hand: what I did was never intended to get as out of hand as it did. I'm not a bad guy. They just don't understand. No one does." He took a deep breath and opened his binder, tearing out a small piece of paper. He scribbled down his cell phone number and placed it on the concrete, halfway between him and Isaac. "I'll see you aroumd."

* * *

For the first few days, Joel was beginning to assimilate into Beacon Hills without any problems. Sure, he'd mouthed off to a couple people who gave him trouble, but overall, he was doing pretty well. Then the new week started and news broke of why the new kid showed up halfway through the semester.

Joel walked through the front doors and everyone was staring at him, mostly in fear but largely in awe.

"Oh, shit," he muttered. He held his head high and walked down the corridor, ignoring the whispers.

"He's a psycho."

"He's unstable."

"He's more creepy-looking now that we know what he did."

Joel bit down on his lower lip, knowing that if he showed any sign of weakness, it would only get worse. He walked into his homeroom and, finding that he was the first one there, he exhaled and sat down.

"Hey, Joel!" A voice caught him off guard and he fell off his chair. Opening his eyes from his position on the floor, he saw Stiles grinning down at him, Scott beside him, shaking his head.

"Did you guys hear—?" Scott nodded. "Fuck."

"We barely know you, dude, but we don't believe what they're saying about you," Scott said, bending down beside Joel.

"We don't believe it either," a girl's voice said. Joel sat up to see Allison and the blonde girl he'd seen with Jackson. "Joel, this is Lydia." He smiled to her and pushed a hand through his hair.

"You don't need to tell us anything until you're ready to." Once he'd calmed down, Stiles sat in Joel's seat and leaned forward. "What'd you do?" he whispered, but Scott pulled him back up and gave him a look that silenced him.

"Look, things at my old school just got so crazy so fast that when I finally realized what I'd done, it was too late," he said, standing up. "I'm not crazy, and I'm not violent either. I just have a really short fuse, especially for people who think they're better than everyone else."

"We're on your side, man." Scott put an arm around Joel, who sighed.

* * *

At the same time, five more new students walked through the doors of Beacon Hills High School. Four boys and a girl, all dressed in black, the girl's red hair dyed scarlet. The students still milling the hallways stopped and stared. The tallest boy tilted his sunglasses down and looked around.

"He's here." The other four looked up at him. "Current location unknown, but he's here, somewhere in this school."


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N**_ : So, right now, I'm binge-watching the show and I only have four more season 3 episodes. As I watch, more characters will be added to the story and I might off one or two of them. That has yet to be determined, though.

* * *

By lunch, most of the stares and frightened looks directed at Joel had worn off, but he was still the hot topic of the day. Around every corner was someone whispering about how he'd hospitalized four boys from his old school, how he was supposed to be taken in for questioning, and how he disappeared before anyone could do so.

Joel sat at the table with Scott, Stiles, Allison, Lydia, and two boys who identified themselves as Ethan and Aiden. Remaining silent while the others chatted amongst themselves, he poked aimlessly at the mystery food on his tray. Stiles put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up.

"You gonna eat that?" He asked, nodding to his dessert. Joel shook his head and Stiles plucked the cookie off his tray. "You look so sad." Joel shrugged. "C'mon, cheer up. It could be a whole lot worse, you know."

"People whispering behind my back? Being called a psycho every way I turn? A lot like my old school." Joel pushed his plates aside.

"You know, if you want, we can find you a girlfriend," Scott said, nudging Joel in the side. Everyone else at the table looked at Joel, who blushed a deep red and looked down at his hands.

"That's not a good idea," he murmured.

"Why not?" Allison asked, reaching across the table for Scott's hand. "You're a good-looking guy. You seem nice enough. I don't know why any girl wouldn't want to give you a shot."

"It's not that. It's—" Joel didn't finish his sentence but got up and grabbed his backpack. "I'll see you guys later." He hurried out of the cafeteria, leaving his four classmates watching after him.

Joel traveled outside and found himself sitting under the bleachers near the lacrosse field. He looked around and spotted Isaac limping not too far away. He raised a hand in a wave and the curly-haired boy spotted him, coming over towards him.

"Hi," Isaac whispered, giving Joel a weak smile.

"Hey, buddy," Joel returned with a grin, standing up. Isaac towered over him but the limp made him seem shorter.

"I heard the rumors." Isaac looked away, avoiding Joel's eyes. "I don't think they're true."

"That makes five of you now." Joel nodded. "Nice to know five people at this school don't take me for a complete wacko. That's six-hundred-and-ninety-five to go."

Isaac shifted his weight and turned his gaze back to Joel. "Um, I don't normally do this, but you seem like you need one." He gently embraced the shorter boy, who stiffened at his touch.

"I, uh," Joel cleared his throat. "Th-thank you. Isaac, p-please let go of me." Isaac backed away, hurt in his eyes. "It's not you, dude, seriously. I'm sorry, it's just..." Joel was rambling. "I just really don't like being touched. It reminds me of..." He instinctively put a hand to his back. "It's not your fault, I promise. I just have so many fucking unexplainable issues."

"I should have asked first," Isaac murmured, casting his eyes to the grass.

"It takes a bit of time to gain my trust, especially since the last guy I let get close to me physically hurt me in a really fucked-up way, but you're already on the road there." He offered Isaac a small smile, which the tall boy returned.

* * *

Joel sat in the library, researching ideas for a history report when two of the new arrivals spotted him. They linked arms and murmured something quietly before starting their approach towards Joel, whose head was buried in a book.

Stiles, on the other hand, had just entered the library to return something for Scott when he spotted Joel and quickly—and not very quietly—made his way over to him. The arrivals withdrew their steps upon seeing Stiles go over.

"Hey, Joel!" Stiles plopped down in the seat across from him. The librarian shushed him and Stiles grinned weakly at her.

"Oh, hey, Stiles." Joel looked up and smiled. He set the book down and sighed.

"You found him?" The leader of the group appeared behind the arrivals. The two boys looked up at him and nodded. "Point him out."

"He's right there, talking to Stilinski," the boy with the dark brown hair said, using one hand to point and the other to push his bangs out of his eyes.

"Who? _Him_?" The leader's eyes widened. "No, you're kidding, right, Dean?"

"Not kidding, Daryl. That's him. You said the one we're looking for is named Joel, right?" Daryl nodded. "During roll call in homeroom, that one answered to Joel Richardson."

Daryl scoffed. "This is unbelievable. I thought The One is supposed to be a tall, good-looking guy who can clearly do damage, but this kid, in his not-quite-grown-up body, is far from a threat."

"Haven't you heard the rumors about him?" The other boy asked, looking up at Daryl. "According to what's floating around school, he put four guys from his old school in the hospital. I saw an article in an Ohio newspaper about this kid at some fancy prep school that was the victim of an ongoing series of humiliating pornographic viral videos and Joel," he nodded to him, who was talking animatedly with Stiles, "stepped in and put a stop to it."

"Morgan, do you realize that not only do you sound like a lunatic but what you just said is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever heard out of your mouth?" Daryl rolled his eyes and strode over to Joel and Stiles.

"Hey, guys," he said with a charming grin. Joel and Stiles looked at each other with confused gazes and up at Daryl. "I'm Daryl. Daryl Ducard. I'm new here."

"Well, I'm Stiles and this is Joel." Joel put up a hand as a wave. "You want to join us? We were just talking about the new _Hobbit_ movie that's coming out."

"Bet you anything they flesh the shit out of it into three movies," Joel said, folding his arms and sitting back with a smirk.

"But there's only so much material for two," Stiles retorted. He ran over to the shelves and pulled out a copy of _The Hobbit_. "Look at this thing, it's barely enough to flesh out into two movies."

"True, but, you know, tons of location shots and there's bound to be at least an hour of battle scenes per movie. How much you want to bet they add some ludicrous romance that no one gives two fucks about?"

"Hey, you guys like comic book movies?" Joel and Stiles looked at each other, wide-eyed and back at Daryl.

"I can sense there's going to be an argument. Just saying right now," Joel grinned. "I'm a Marvel kind of guy. DC has put out more than enough crap over the past forty years."

"What about the Christopher Nolan _Batman_ movies?" Stiles asked, pouting slightly.

"Yeah, with perhaps the exception of those and the 1989 _Batman_ and _Returns_ , the rest sucked." Joel put his hands up in surrender as Stiles stared at him in horror. "Trust a guy who watches everything," he said in defense.

"We're not friends anymore," Stiles murmured, his pout becoming more resigned.

"Oh, come on, Stiles, I know you're kidding, but that's a low blow," Joel reasoned, leaning forward. "Look at me. I have so few friends and the one guy I can nerd out with hates me." His greenish-blue eyes became wide and puppy-like.

"Fine. Geez, you're almost as bad as Scott."

Daryl watched their exchange in interest. He just needed to get Joel alone before telling him what they needed with him.

* * *

"What do you think of the new kid? Really?" Allison and Lydia sat in the library some rows down from Stiles and Joel.

"He gives me this weird feeling," Lydia admitted, shuddering a little. "I don't know what it is, but it's not a good one. It's the same with that blond guy with them."

Allison nodded. "You think it's another supernatural entity they have?"

"It's Beacon Hills, Allison. Of course it is."

* * *

"Who cares to explain what the hell _this_ is?" Finstock was on a tirade when Scott and Stiles entered the locker room. The two looked at what everyone was staring at: the glass on Finstock's office door had a perfect circle—just large enough for an arm to be put through—in the center of it.

"Looks like a hole, Coach," Stiles said pointedly.

"Stilinski, if I wanted a dumb answer, I'd ask Greenberg!" Finstock snarled. "Put your hand down, Greenberg!"

"What could have done this?" Scott walked to the door and put a hand in the space. "Was anything stolen? Is there anything of particular value in there?"

"Someone must have blasted a hole through it. What kind of weapon makes a perfect circle?" Everyone looked at Isaac, who had spoken. He walked over and, to Scott and Stiles, he whispered, "Looks like something Allison or her dad could answer."

From a distance, Daryl was furious with one of his charges. "Luke, what the fuck? You said you would just be discreet, not break into the goddamn office!"

"You try stealing a set of keys attached to a whistle that's constantly being blown," Luke retorted. "Besides, I'm still learning to control it."

"Well, use that clever little head of yours and learn faster!" Daryl hissed. "If the werewolves here find out what we are, it's game over."


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N**_ : So now I'm on the season 4 finale and I've included a bunch more characters in this chapter. This has something of a flashback, one that will be expanded on later. And I'm deliberately dodging around the name of Joel's previous school because it's in a different fandom and I don't want to connect the two.

* * *

After leaving the library, Joel, having had enough of being stared at and whispered about, left school and walked out to the parking lot, getting into his car. He sighed and leaned his head on the steering wheel. He had been getting headaches a lot recently and wondered if it were either from stressing out over what happened or how everyone at Beacon Hills would look at him for it. Joel had anger issues—and he'd admit it—and a never completely fulfilled need to save people in distress, even if what he did got himself in trouble. That kid never had a chance against the upperclassmen. They were obnoxious, arrogant assholes, drunk or sober, and Joel didn't really seem to mind when they decided to target people verbally, but when it got as crazy and out of hand as their "parties" did, he knew he had to step in.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

Joel was sitting in his dorm room, trying to focus on his English paper when a knock came at the door. He got up and opened the door, only to have a boy he only recognized by face nearly collapse on him. He'd gotten some of the story out of him before the boy fell asleep on his bed. Joel tucked him in and went upstairs, following the sound of loud, racuous laughter.

He knocked on the door and it opened. Joel gagged at the smell of vodka coming off the senior's breath. "What the hell do you want, Richardson?" he snarled, trying to keep himself steady while still attempting to be intimidating.

"Stevie, sit your ass down and take a load off," Joel said calmly, pushing his way past the much larger boy. "How many of you are there?" The other boys all looked up, some glaring at Joel, some frightened at the sight of him.

"Don't fucking call me that, freak," Steven spat, leaning against the wall, the bottle of vodka still in hand. "Do you really think you can take us all out?"

"You want to try me?" Joel raised an eyebrow cockily. One guy came up from behind him and Joel swept his leg backwards, breaking his arm upward as he went down.

The other boys all watched in awe as Joel easily incapacitated two more guys who tried to rush him before he straightened up, fixing his blazer.

"Anyways, this ends. Right now. You do not want me to come back, do you?" The boys still standing shook their heads all at once. "Okay. Well, see you guys later." He turned to leave when Steven picked him up around the waist. "Hey! Welsch, put me down!"

Steven carried the struggling Joel over to the bed and tied him down. "What are you doing?" he stammered.

"You never let us have you, Joely boy," he sneered, ripping Joel's blazer open. "It's time we took you for ourselves..."

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

Joel shuddered, remembering the night his whole prep school career went to hell. Just hours after the police raided the school, he quickly packed up his belongings and enlisted the help of his older siblings to get him as far away as possible. His brother Aaron, who attended UC Davis, helped Joel get an apartment and spends every other weekend with him while his sister, Becky, bought him his Prius.

A knock came at the window and Joel looked up to see Daryl, flanked by three other boys and a girl. He got out of the car.

"Hey, Daryl, what's up?" He asked, leaning against the car.

"We need you, Joel." Daryl's voice was calm with a dangerous edge. "Just like you need us."

None of them knew it, but from a distance and listening in was Scott, Stiles, Allison, Lydia, and Isaac.

"You see, I knew there was something up with them." Lydia folded her arms across her chest. "Never question me."

"I never did," Stiles muttered from beside her. Lydia gave him a look and then rolled her eyes.

Daryl took a step towards Joel, looking down at him, his green eyes flashing. "Let us help you, Joel."

"I don't need any help, thank you very much." Joel looked right back at Daryl. "I'm quite content with how I am right just now."

"We know what _really_ happened at your old school," Daryl said in a low voice. "You can't hide it. You hospitalized four guys who deserved it. They hurt innocent people." He took another step towards Joel. "They almost did to you what they did to the others. You wouldn't let them. You were the one they could never push around. You're strong, stronger than you think you are. There's a reason for that."

"How the fuck—"

"You don't understand what we're talking about, do you, Joel?" The redhead asked. Joel looked at her, shaking his head. "Daryl, he doesn't have any idea. Maybe he's not The One."

"Audrey, if I wanted your input, I would ask for it, thank you," Daryl growled.

"The One? What the fuck are you talking about?" Joel moved away from the group slowly. "Look, I really have no idea what you people want with me, but I'd like no part in it. I have enough troubles as it is."

"Joel..." Daryl started towards him again, but Scott cut in front of him.

"He said no." Scott's eyes flashed red and Daryl backed off, putting his hands up. "You should leave. All of you."

Daryl's smirk returned and he led his group away. "Just you wait. In exactly two weeks' time, you're all going to find out what he's meant to be and then you'll find that there's no use for him." They left.

Stiles looked at Joel, whose face was pale white. "Joel, what's wrong? What's in exactly two weeks?"

"My sixteenth birthday."

* * *

"How would they know when your birthday is?" The Pack sat around Joel, who was curled into what was nearly a fetal position in Scott's living room.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be wondering, now would I?" Joel snapped but not with his usual level of sass. "And what's _he_ doing here?" He looked up long enough to glare at Jackson.

"Because due to unforeseen circumstances, he's part of the Pack," Stiles answered. "Which can be seen as bad decision-making on a certain someone's part." His gaze traveled towards Derek, who rolled his eyes and was about to retort when Scott reentered the room after being upstairs with Allison.

"We're unsure of what Daryl and his group are, but, as far as we know, it's not fully human," Allison reported. "Sorry we couldn't have figured more out."

"He said Joel's The One," Scott mused. "What does that mean?"

"Something to do with being someone like a prophet to them." Isaac looked up from his spot beside Lydia. "Like an Absolute. Whatever they are, they have an Absolute, the one among them who has powers far beyond their own."

Stiles stood up excitedly. "He's just like Eru Ilúvatar in Middle-Earth. It means, loosely, The One Father of All..."

"Stiles, zip it," Lydia ordered and he closed his mouth, smiling slightly.

Joel unraveled himself on the floor and stood up, straightening his shirt. "I think it's time you told me how the hell you could hear my conversation with Daryl." His eyes were trained on Scott. "And don't lie to me. Please."

No one dared make a sound as Scott shifted uncomfortably. "Joel, it's complicated," he started.

"I figured as much, but try. Just try to explain it to me. You're all something. The Pack has to mean something outside of just being a large group of friends. There are other words for that." Joel folded his arms and looked around at everyone, who tried to avoid his gaze. "Someone better start talking."

"Do you believe in werewolves?"

* * *

"Okay, so let me get this straight." Joel had to sit down halfway through the explanation. "Scott, Isaac, Derek, Jackson, Boyd, Erica, Ethan, Aiden, and Liam are werewolves. Malia is a werecoyote. Lydia is a Banshee. Allison is a Hunter. Kira is a Kitsune. Then what does that leave Stiles?"

"He's just Stiles," Lydia said. "That's a species all its own."

"Do you believe any of it?" Isaac asked, coming up behind Joel.

Joel opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He then twitched violently and everyone backed off. He continued to twitch for a few seconds before his eyes became wide but unmoving and his whole body remained in a flat position.

"What the hell happened to him?"

"I think he's gone into some kind of trance." Isaac bent down in front of him and waved a hand in front of his face, only to receive no response. "Joel? Joel!"

* * *

The Pack rushed into the hospital, Scott carrying Joel in his arms. Melissa hurried over with a wheelchair.

"What happened to him?" She touched Joel's wrist, checking for a pulse.

"Scott gave him the supernatural rundown and when Isaac asked him if he believed any of it, he just went into some sort of catatonic state," Lydia said from behind Allison.

"What's his name? How did he get mixed up with you guys?" Deputy Parrish and Sheriff Stilinski came up behind Stiles.

"Joel Richardson. We're not entirely clear as to how he has ties to the supernatural, but there's a group of not-entirely-human beings wanting him as their leader." Scott looked down at Joel.

"Richardson, you said?" The sheriff looked at Scott, who nodded. "Once he comes out of this, I need to bring him in for questioning."

"Why?" Stiles spoke up.

"Where he's from, he's wanted for aggravated assault," Stilinski said in a low voice. "Despite his intentions, however good they may have been, there are still four young men lying in the hospital following what Joel did to them, one of whom is in a coma."

"Then the rumors..." Isaac's eyes widened. "Th-they're true?"

"How long has he been like this?" Melissa asked.

"About half an hour now. He's not dead, is he?"

"No, he's alive, but the part of him that renders his mobility is stalled. Basically, he's in a stupor." Everyone looked at Joel. "We should move him to a room. See how long this goes for."


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N**_ : Okay, so the werewolf mythology in the show's verse explained here is mostly in the way that I would explain it to someone else. If you feel that I didn't do it right, feel free to blast me in reviews.

* * *

A few days passed and Joel made no sign of coming out of his stupor. The Pack wandered in and out of the room, Derek being the only one allowed to stay with him since everyone else had to go to school.

"How long can this continue?" Stiles asked the doctor presiding over Joel's care.

"We're unsure, but given Mr. Richardson's medical records, this could quite possibly take a while," he replied, sighing. "If you'll excuse me." The doctor left, leaving Stiles to find a spot beside Derek.

"He's not like you guys. He's special." Stiles' voice was soft, something that made Derek look over at him curiously. "I just want him to come back. He's the only one I can nerd out with."

"I don't know what he is or what he's supposed to be, but I have a feeling he'll come in handy." Derek looked at the boy, lying still on the bed. "What did you say the leader of the group looked like?"

"Blond hair, green eyes, cocky douchebag. Not just his personality, he actually looks like one. Kind of like Jackson, except there's a trace of humanity in Jackson. This guy, Daryl, not so much."

Liam and Isaac came into the room and joined them. "Any sign of life?" Isaac asked, taking a seat beside Stiles. Derek and Stiles shook their heads at the same time. "Damn."

"What's up? You like him or something?" Stiles nudged Isaac, who only blushed. "Well, when he stops being catatonic, ask him out."

"I can't ask him out," Isaac murmured. "I'm not even entirely sure he's gay. I mean, he once mentioned the last _guy_ he let get close to him, but that could've been as a friend."

"He's literally radiating gay vibes," Jackson said, entering the room with Lydia. "Even like this. He's gay, Lahey. Once he's back, ask him out. End the tension."

"Isaac, dude, you need a little happiness in your life," Stiles reasoned. "With all you've been through—" Stiles stopped briefly, realizing what he was about say. "You deserve to be happy, even if it's with a guy who goes into a trance after discovering the supernatural presence in his life."

"Mmm." Everyone's heads turned to the bed. "Wha—what happened?"

"Joel?" Isaac bent next to the bed and took his hand.

Joel groaned and used his other hand to press to his forehead. "Where am I? What's with the scrubs?"

"We took you to the hospital because we didn't know what to do with you," Derek explained.

"You went into some sort of trance or stupor or something," Liam added. "You're okay, right?"

"Do I seem okay? The last thing I recall is sitting in Scott's living room, trying to figure out what the hell Daryl and his crew are."

"Get Scott," Lydia mouthed to Stiles, who slipped out of the room to go do so.

Scott walked in a moment later and leaned over the other side of Joel. "Joel, you remember us, right?" Joel's only response was a dirty look. "Okay, fair enough. You don't remember anything after sitting in my living room?"

"Only that and then waking up here," he said. "Was there something crucial that I missed?"

"The part about super—" Stiles started but Isaac elbowed him in the gut.

"Do you want to lose him again? 'Cause I don't." Stiles groaned, holding his stomach. "Let's lay it on him little by little," he whispered to Scott, who nodded.

"Joel, do you think you can take a little bit of big news?"

"Depends how much you consider a little bit and how big." He fell back into his pillows.

Scott exhaled and raked a hand through his hair. "I think we should do this one on one." As if on cue, everyone else left the room, leaving Scott and Joel alone. "Joel, how much do you understand about the supernatural?"

"You mean, like werewolves and witches and stuff like that?" Scott nodded. "I know mythology and all the things one would read in books and see in movies, but outside of that, nothing."

Scott took a breath. "That's a start. Do you know anything about Alphas and Betas?" Joel shook his head. "Well, there are Alpha werewolves, as in the leader of the pack, and there're Betas, they're like the pack members. I mean, something like followers of the Alpha."

"Okay... Are you telling me you're an Alpha? Because I could totally see that."

Stiles, Lydia, and Allison held their heads close to the door so they could hear while the others had their werewolf senses going.

"Wow, that was fast," Stiles whispered.

"Yes, Joel, I am an Alpha," Scott continued, smiling a little. "Derek's an Alpha too. His Betas are Isaac, Jackson, Boyd, and Erica. As of right now, I have Liam. The twins were Alphas before, and now they're Omegas, which are the lone wolves, the ones without a pack and without an Alpha."

"So Ethan and Aiden aren't part of your pack?"

"Not technically, but, in non-werewolf-y terms, yes, they are." Outside, the twins shared a grin.

Joel nodded, taking it all in. "But all of you are some kind of supernatural force?"

"Stiles and Allison are human, but still very much an integral part of the Pack. Stiles is a lot of the brains and the plan-maker." Stiles bumped fists with Isaac. "Allison's a Hunter, which, as you could guess, would mean that she hunts werewolves, as her family has for generations, but her and her dad—they're good now."

"Wow. I never would've guessed any of this. This is so cool."

Outside the room, the others looked at one another, smiles intact. "He's taking it a hell of a lot better than before," Jackson muttered.

"That's because he's getting it piece by piece." Liam nodded. "We're not shoving the whole thing down his throat all at once."

The door opened to reveal a beaming Scott. "I think we've found a new accomplice."

* * *

"Ugh, this is so frustrating!" Luke pushed his math textbook aside and buried his head in his arms. "When did math get so freaking hard?"

"Will you focus?" Daryl slapped Luke upside the head, making him yelp. "We need Joel, damn it! I can feel it now. McCall and his Pack are taking him under their wing. If Joel becomes a part of their Pack, we're screwed!"

Dean and Ellen exchanged glances from their separate spots on the couch. Ever since Daryl got the name, he'd been more unbearable than usual.

"Will you relax?" Quint called out. "Richardson doesn't seem like the kind of guy who up and joins a group of werewolves for the hell of it."

"That's the key phrase, Carpenter! ' _Doesn't seem like_ '. How the fuck would we know? It's not like any of us have a chance of getting near him now that their little Pack knows what we want with him!" Daryl was silent for a moment, deep in thought; then, he snapped his fingers. "I got it. They don't know all of us. Steve, you and Ally are the best liars I got. If you two can keep your heart rate steady, you can befriend Joel and bring him back here..."

"Do you just like hearing the sound of your voice, Daryl?" Jenny asked. "That is the most ludicrous plan you've come up with so far."

"I don't see anyone else offering up ideas!" Daryl yelled, raising a hand and making a nearby vase fly across the room, smashing against the wall.

"Hey, my mom's gonna kill me if anything's broken when she gets home!" Luke whined. Daryl shot him a glare and the boy recoiled, sitting back down. "I guess I could change her mind," he whispered, fidgeting with his hands.

Casey went over to Luke and pushed his hair back comfortingly. "Stop it, Daryl. Just because he's the youngest does not mean you can turn him into the spitting image of yourself through bullying."

Daryl growled and raised both his hands, lifting everyone else into the air. "People, we have been chasing Joel Richardson for the past six months! We just found him at a mediocre public school. We have exactly two weeks, two hours, and sixteen minutes to get him on our side. Do you understand that? He is the key to our salvation!"

"Wouldn't we just have superpowered kids if we mated? I mean, Trace finally agreed to try sex without the condom," Morgan said, earning himself a smack from Tracy, who teleported from the other side of the room.

"Asshole! You don't broadcast our sex life!" She grabbed Luke's nearby baseball bat and was about to hit him with it when it was pulled from her hand by Daryl.

"Tracy, calm down. You can hit him later." The blonde huffed and sent her boyfriend a dirty look before sitting down. "Please, can we try the befriending plan? Listen to me, I'm using the calm voice, just like Dr. Watson suggested."

Steve and Ally looked at each other. Daryl almost never spoke without anger or annoyance in his tone, unless he was trying to be charming.

"I guess we could give it a shot," Steve shrugged and Ally nodded in agreement. "I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

"Okay, so the plan is that at least one of us is with Joel at all times." Scott went over the plan before the Pack left the house the next morning. "Lydia, you and Kira have homeroom." The two nodded. "Jackson and Malia, first period. Boyd and Erica, second. Stiles, third. Isaac, fourth. We reconvene at lunch, and then Aiden and Liam for free period. And finally, Ethan for sixth. Any questions?" Everyone looked at one another and back at Scott. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N**_ : I am actually really surprised at how quickly I'm uploading chapters. On any other story, I would've pooped out by now.

* * *

"So where did Scott go exactly?" Joel asked from his seat as forced upon him between Lydia and Kira. "And why do I have to be smack in the middle of you girls?"

"Because we were assigned to keep an eye on you," Lydia said, without looking up from her phone. "And you are not to go anywhere without one of us with you. That goes for all periods."

"Scott went with Derek to see if they could find where Daryl and his group are hiding out." Kira gave Joel a small smile. "And when you spend first period with Jackson and Malia, you'll have to excuse Malia for whatever she says or does. She's still getting used to..." Lydia shot her a warning look and Kira silenced instantly.

"She's getting used to what?" Joel looked at the Japanese girl before turning his attention to the blonde. "She's something supernatural. Come on, tell me. I'm not going to blab to anyone. Scott won't tell me anything else right now."

"And rightfully so." Lydia closed her phone with a snap and tossed her hair back. "We're not allowing another trance-like state out of you."

"Wait, what?" Joel stared at Lydia, whose eyes widened, and over at Kira, who shared the same expression. "Okay, this is about me. You need to tell me right now."

Kira gave him a sympathetic look. "We might as well," she said to Lydia. "It's not like we have to keep it from him."

"Stop talking across me, and talk _to_ me, please!"

Lydia blew out one side of her mouth and turned to Joel, leaning close. "In the time between Scott's living room and the hospital bed, there was a several-day period where you were in a stupor because we unloaded all of our supernatural secrets on you."

"Am I a burden on you guys?" Joel's voice was soft. "I mean, Scott didn't have to save me last week..." He was silent for the rest of the period.

* * *

Joel walked mutely down the corridor towards his first period English class. Lydia and Kira followed a few feet behind him and waved to Jackson and Malia, who were at the classroom door. Joel walked right past them and found a seat in the back corner.

"What's with him?" Malia asked.

"We may have told him where he was the past few days," Kira admitted meekly.

"Oh, great," Jackson muttered and walked into the room, taking the open seat beside Joel. "Hey." He didn't receive a response as Joel was staring out the window. "Will you stop your little emo moment and listen to me?"

Joel turned, his eyes red. "What?"

"Personally, I wouldn't have saved you from those weirdoes, but McCall did. Know why?" Jackson didn't wait for an answer. "Because he believes in doing the right thing, regardless of how risky it is. That's why he's the True Alpha. He got his status based on who he is. He didn't have to kill anybody to get it."

"And off we go with telling him more than we should." Malia sat down in front of Joel and turned to him.

"I used to treat him and Stilinski like shit. Every day. For years. And he still saved me because that's how he is." Jackson reached out, putting a hand on Joel's shoulder. "Don't ever tell anyone I said this to you, but you're safe with us."

Joel looked at the hand on his shoulder and into Jackson's eyes, smiling slightly. "Thanks."

* * *

Jackson and Malia escorted Joel to his second period. Erica was sitting in the back row seat closest to the door and Joel took a place beside her. Boyd was towards the front; he raised his hand as a sort of wave when he spotted Joel.

"So, tell me, which boys do you think are cute?" Erica asked Joel the second he sat down. Joel coughed and cleared his throat.

"Wait, what are you talking about? I'm not—"

"Save it. Your heartbeat is through the roof. Besides, Whittemore's right. You radiate gay vibes," she said, not breaking eye contact with him. "Out with it."

"W-well, I mean, I—" Joel looked at his fidgeting hands. He thought he could hide it, but apparently these werewolves—or at the very least, Erica—could see it in plain sight. "I— I-Isaac, he's pretty cute."

Erica's smile instantly evolved into a smirk and Joel—for the first time in a long time—felt extremely uncomfortable. "Don't feel so awkward, Joel," she said, leaning towards him. "He likes you too. He thinks you're attractive and he wants to ask you out."

"Hey, you're Joel, right?" Joel was never more thankful when the boy on his other side broke the moment.

"And you're being very rude, right?" Erica tilted her head slightly, glaring at the boy. "We're having a conversation."

"It-it's fine. We'll talk about it later... or, more preferably, never." Joel gave Erica a nod before turning to the other boy. "Yeah, that's me."

"My name's Steve." The boy extended his hand and Joel shook it.

" _I don't like this guy._ " Boyd shared a knowing look with Erica, who nodded.

" _Neither do I._ "

* * *

Joel and Steve exchanged numbers at the end of class and went their separate ways. Erica and Boyd emerged from the classroom, both watching after Steve suspiciously. Stiles walked over, having seen them from the other end of the hall.

"What's wrong?" He stood next to Erica, looking where she was. "Who's he?"

"There's something off about that guy," she muttered. "I think he's one of _them_."

Boyd looked around, unable to find Joel. "Hey, guys?" Erica and Stiles looked at him. "Joel's gone." The three of them stared at each other in horror.

"Crap!"

Joel had wandered off towards third period, not noticing that Boyd and Erica weren't with him. He slipped into the boys' room next to the chemistry lab.

"Hey, Joel." Joel spun around, zipping up his fly, to see Daryl leaning against the sink.

"Uh, h-hey, Daryl," he stammered. "What's up?"

"I think you know what's up, Joel," he said, pushing away from the sink and slowly approaching the brunet. "You're hanging out with a bunch of werewolves."

Joel scoffed. "What are you talking about? Werewolves? Seriously? This isn't a campy eighties movie about werewolves playing basketball in high school."

Daryl chuckled darkly and lifted Joel by the shirt, pinning him to the wall. "Listen, Richardson, you're one of us and you're going to help us take out the werewolves. Is that understood?"

"I have no idea what I am or what you are! I'm human... or as human as I can be." He shot back. "Now put me down!" Daryl's grip on his shirt only tightened.

"I don't think so," Daryl smirked. "I'm going to bring out those powers in you."

* * *

"Have you guys seen Joel?" Stiles found Ethan and Aiden by their lockers.

"Did you lose him?" Aiden asked in exasperation. "Perfect. Now we got to look for him. He's not even my responsibility until free period."

"He's all of our responsibility." Ethan nudged his twin. "Stiles, where'd you see him last?"

"Outside the history classroom," he said, looking around frantically. "Scott's gonna kill us if he finds out Boyd and Erica lost him."

"Hey!" Erica shoved Stiles. "After that bell rings, he's _your_ problem."

Isaac came over and looked at everyone present. "What's going on? Where's Joel? Shouldn't he be with Stiles right now?"

"They lost him," Aiden explained, nodding to Stiles, Boyd, and Erica, all of whom looked slightly ashamed of themselves.

"Can't anyone pick up on his scent?" Isaac only raised an eyebrow.

Erica rolled her eyes. "I don't think any of us bothered to smell him, now did we?"

* * *

"Come on, Richardson, fight back!" Daryl had dropped Joel to the floor again. Joel was having trouble breathing, having been tossed around, Daryl not even having to lift a finger. "I know it's in you! Buried deep, somewhere in you, there's power. There's extraordinary power in you, Joel. Bring it out!"

"I don't know what you want from me," Joel choked out. "Whatever the fuck you are, I'm not like you. I'm not gonna tell anybody, I promise. Just stop." He managed to dig an inhaler from his backpack and take a puff.

"Oh my God, you have asthma?" Daryl rolled his eyes. "I've been pursuing you for six months and this is what I get? An asthmatic dork who talks tough but can't follow up on it? I have really got to get better sources."

Joel pocketed his inhaler and glared up at Daryl. "Fuck you, Ducard," he growled.

"What I have says that once Joel Richardson turns sixteen, which is in eight days, three hours, and four minutes, his unforeseen powers will be unleashed. He is The One. You are the only Joel Richardson we could find!" Daryl didn't bother using his powers as he kicked Joel in the chest. "I did not waste six motherfucking months tracking down a fucking loser!"

"Daryl, stop!" Morgan pushed the door open—Dean flew in—and Audrey appeared behind Daryl. The two boys bent down next to Joel and Morgan put up a green force field. "Joel, are you okay?"

"I don't understand." Joel looked up at the wall before him. "What is this, some kind of comic book?"

"Morgan, take down the force field." Daryl's voice was dangerously calm. "I am the leader of this group and I order you to take it down!"

At that moment, Stiles, Ethan, Aiden, Boyd, Erica, and Isaac came into the bathroom. The six of them stared at the scene in front of them. Joel on the floor, holding his chest; Morgan's hand up with a force field emerging from it; Dean floating just above Daryl, helping Audrey hold him back.

"Call Scott."


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N**_ : So my previous statement about not mentioning the name of Joel's old school is out. It's not in here, but it will be in the next chapter. And I also come bearing the promise that the next chapter will have scenes that do not feature talk of Joel.

* * *

Scott was with Derek, running through the woods when his phone buzzed. He stopped mid-sprint and checked it. "What is it?" Derek asked.

"It's from Stiles," he replied, browsing the message. "He said to get to the school now. East wing bathroom, next to the chemistry lab. They know what Daryl's group are."

* * *

Morgan's force field went down instantly upon their entry and Dean floated down to the ground. Daryl yanked himself away from Dean and Audrey and pushed his hair back. Joel got up and ran over to Isaac, wrapping his arms around the tall boy.

"I don't— Understand— What the fuck is going on?" He whimpered, hiding his face in Isaac's hoodie. Isaac held Joel close and stared at the other group.

"Fuck," Morgan muttered. "Look, before you freak out, you have to understand—"

Boyd, Erica, Ethan, and Aiden's eyes went yellow and Stiles stepped in front of them. "Hey, relax with the wolfy eyes. Violence can be avoided here so long as everyone keeps their cool."

"Says the lowly human," Daryl chuckled. "Why don't you back off before you get seriously hurt?"

"Is that a threat?" Stiles cocked his head.

"Stiles..." Scott and Derek entered the bathroom and Scott put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. The black-haired boy stepped back and Scott's eyes turned red. Everyone except Daryl backed away, putting their hands up in surrender.

"Aw, so you're the True Alpha that everyone just can't shut up about," he sneered, green eyes flashing. "Yeah, I know all about you, Scott McCall. You've become pretty well-known in the supernatural community." The blonde took a step closer to Scott. "I'm not afraid of you. Why should I be? I've taken Alphas before and you are no different."

"Joel is not what you are looking for." Scott's voice was deep.

"Oh, no, you are very, very wrong there, McCall." Daryl grinned. "He's exactly what I'm looking for. Your little pack here knows what we are. It's just a matter of eight days, two hours, and six minutes until you see that Joel is one of us. In fact, he's going to be the strongest of us all."

"Stop keeping an internal clock on my birthday, you stalker!" Joel pulled away from Isaac for a moment. "Even if I do become whatever the hell you are, I'm not going to join you because I know you'll only exploit me for my powers. They—" He motioned to the six alongside him. "—although I'm not entirely clear whether they fully tolerate me or not, treat me like no one else has. I've never had many friends, but hanging out with Scott and Stiles and these guys—and girls—has made me realize that, despite how lame and sappy this sounds, someone actually likes me."

Daryl shook his head. "This ain't over. Not by a longshot!" Morgan, Dean, and Audrey circled him, all three looking rather ashamed of who they stood with. With a flash of light, the four disappeared.

"That's still weird," Stiles muttered before turning to Joel, who was still latched onto Isaac. "You alright, dude?"

Joel nodded slowly. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"Your heart's racing." Scott's eyes went from red to their original brown as he leaned down next to Joel. "You can't really lie when most of us can tell how you're feeling based on your heartbeat."

"I don't want to be what they are," Joel whispered, releasing his hold on Isaac's hoodie and sliding down to the tile floor. "I just want to be normal." Something clattered on the floor and Scott picked it up.

"You're asthmatic?" Joel looked up at Scott and nodded.

"When Daryl was beating me up, trying to make whatever fucking powers flare up, I couldn't breathe. I hate that feeling. It feels like I'm going to die or something."

"There's a way so you don't have to feel like that again," Scott explained softly.

Stiles intervened, pulling Scott away from Joel. "Scott McCall, don't you dare even suggest it," he scolded. "Even one is enough."

"Wh-what is he talking about?" Joel looked between Scott and Stiles. The others gave each other knowing looks. "What is with everyone today and talking like I'm not here? You said there's a cure. Tell me, Scott."

Everyone except Scott and the twins shook their heads. "We need to have a pack meeting. This is a decision the whole pack needs to make."

* * *

Joel was told to wait in Scott's room while the Pack met downstairs in the living room.

"It's not a good idea," Lydia said. "I mean, if he even is what Daryl said he's supposed to be, wouldn't turning him just make him an even bigger threat?"

"He wouldn't hurt us though," Isaac reasoned. "You heard him. He considers us his friends."

Jackson snorted. "Yeah, that's totally going to spare us if he snaps and goes on some psychotic rampage."

Stiles looked over at Scott, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Scotty, buddy, you seriously cannot be considering this. Liam just has serious anger issues." This earned him a harsh elbow from Liam, who was sitting beside him. "I love the guy. Truly, I do, but we don't know the specifics of the _incident_. How can we be so sure he won't lash out at us?"

"Derek, what do you think?" Scott looked at the other Alpha for advice.

"I agree with what Lydia's said. Joel could be quite a menace if imbued with both the powers of a werewolf and those of Daryl and his group. I'm not going to be his Alpha. Honestly, I don't think it's a good idea, and not only has that not stopped you before, but the final decision's on you."

Before Scott could ask for any positive feedback, the doorbell rang. Stiles got up and ran to answer it. "Dad, Parrish, what are you doing here?"

"We went to Joel's apartment to talk to him and, when he wasn't there, we figured to come here because he's been spending an awful lot of time with you," the Sheriff stated, stepping into the house. "Is he here?" Stiles made to say something. "Son, don't lie." Stiles' shoulders slumped in defeat.

"He's upstairs in Scott's room," Stiles said softly. Parrish walked upstairs while Stiles tried to hold off his father. "He's not bad, I swear. If he really did whatever they said he did, he had to have a good reason."

The rest of the Pack came over as Parrish led Joel downstairs in handcuffs. "I'm sorry to have to do it like this." Parrish's voice was calm and a little sad.

"Nah, I understand you're just doing your job," Joel chuckled. To the Pack, he grinned wanly. "I'll be okay. It's not the first time I've been in handcuffs and I'm sure it won't be the last."

* * *

"You do understand your Miranda rights, Joel?" The Sheriff asked, placing two mugs of coffee on the table. Joel nodded; he'd been silent the entire car ride to the station. "I'm not going to arrest you, not officially. Like my son said, what you did in Ohio was very likely justifiable, but a fax from the Westerville Sheriff's department requires me to question you."

"They had it coming," Joel whispered, lifting his head slightly. "They hurt people who didn't deserve it. There's so many people out there who get away with rape and murder. I just felt like being that one guy who can put a stop to it."

"But what you did to those four boys put them in the hospital. Kyle Clark is in a coma. According to the fax, he only recorded the encounters; he didn't actually participate in them." Stilinski examined the fax message before turning it around, passing it to Joel.

"He did it so they wouldn't bully him, so he could have Jonas for himself." Joel took a sip of his coffee and cleared his throat. It was the first time he said the boy's name since he left Ohio. "Kyle had this twisted delusion that if he acted like the hero, turning the videos in, Jonas would like him."

"Uh, Sheriff?" Parrish stuck his head into the room. "There's another fax here." He held up the paper. "It's a warrant for Joel's arrest. Two of the boys' fathers are pressing charges."

Joel sighed quietly. "So this is what I get for trying to save people."

* * *

Scott, Stiles, and Isaac made their way to the station to see if there was anything Stiles could say in an attempt for Joel to get released, but when they got there, they saw Joel lying on the bench in one of the holding cells.

"Dad, what'd he do?" Stiles entered his father's office and placed his hands on the table.

"Stiles, it's out of my jurisdiction," the Sheriff explained. "An arrest warrant came through the fax today. The Westerville Sheriff's Department wants Joel in custody. To tell you the truth, he's a good kid and I like him a lot. I'd let him go, but my hands are tied."

Isaac turned to Scott. "I made up my mind and I was going to ask him out after the meeting," he said, frowning. "Even if he said no, I'd feel better if I just asked."

"I would have said yes," Joel's voice spoke out. He was standing against the bars, listening to them. "When I get out of this whole mess, I would love to go on a date with you, Isaac." Isaac beamed and walked over to Joel, taking one of his hands through the bars. "I promise you, all three of you, that I'm getting out of this. I'm pretty good at talking my way out of things."

"You'd better start then," a new voice said. Everyone looked up to see a man at the door. "You're going to court, Mr. Richardson." The new arrival walked through the area of desks over to where the boys stood. "I'm here to ensure that you get off and the only way that's going to happen is if you talk."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Joel tilted his head in confusion.

"My name is Alan Cochran and I'm your parents' lawyer."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N**_ : Finally began to regain my muse for _Teen Wolf_ as I get caught up. I finished season 5 today.

* * *

"My parents? But they basically disowned me." Joel raised an eyebrow. "Pardon my French, but they told me to get the fuck out of their house two years ago. Why would they send you to save my ass now?"

Cochran sighed and put a hand on Joel's shoulder. "Because, despite your history of delinquency, your parents believe that you wouldn't assault four boys without provocation." Joel frowned and seemed to be deep in thought before Isaac squeezed his hand.

"How many counts of what do I have?" Joel looked up. Cochran produced a small notepad from his jacket pocket.

"Four counts of aggravated assault using a metal baseball bat," he said. Isaac released Joel's hand and stared at him in shock, as did Scott and Stiles. "Four counts of cruelty to persons under sixteen..."

"Not only are all four of them seventeen and eighteen, that second one is under British law!" Joel retorted. Cochran put up his hand and he silenced instantly.

"That's my last case. Sorry," he apologized. "Just those four of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Since this took place in Ohio, this is a fourth degree felony, which means..."

"Six to eighteen months in jail." Joel nodded.

"How do you know that?" Cochran looked at Joel in wonder; he'd never met a kid who knew the legal system so well.

"I didn't have any friends, so I took up studying the law in different countries. Of course I focused mainly on Ohio," Joel explained with a small shrug.

Stiles looked at Joel, mouth still wide in shock. "You beat people up with a _baseball bat_?"

"Have you seen the size of me?" Joel returned Stiles' gaze. "It's not like I could do any damage to a bunch of upperclassmen-slash-football players without something useful. Besides, I never struck them above the chest, which maybe would have done them some good. I mean, their pretty faces and all."

Cochran pulled a chair over next to the cell. "Joel, I received what seems to be something close to the truth out of Kyle Clark just before he left us. The night of the party, the other boys, they were going to..." Joel looked away, biting down on his lower lip to contain his tears.

 _ **FLASHBACK**_

"It's time we took you for ourselves," Steven sneered as he opened Joel's blazer. "You're such a little fucking tease. No wonder you don't have any friends." Joel squirmed but the ropes held him down. "Stop fighting it, twerp. You have no chance." Joel felt all the air go out of him as Steven punched him in the gut.

"I— I need my inhaler," Joel whimpered. "Please." He struggled to get loose; he always kept a spare inhaler in his blazer pocket.

A redheaded boy stepped in, holding Joel's inhaler. "Dude, we don't want him dying on us," he murmured to Steven.

Steven scoffed. "Shut up, Ross." He flipped Joel onto his stomach. Ross quickly hurried over to Joel's front and helped him ingest the medication.

"Just because you're helping me now doesn't excuse you from any of this," Joel growled once his breathing returned to normal. Ross blinked and smirked slightly, tapping Joel's cheek twice before moving away. Joel could feel his pants being yanked down. "No, please!"

A moment later, the other boys gasped. Joel managed to turn his head, seeing Steven knocked out cold on the floor. Ross was suspended in mid-air, yelling at someone to get him down. The ropes untied themselves from Joel's wrists and ankles. "What's happening?" he whispered to himself.

 _ **END FLASHBACK**_

Joel didn't know what was wrong with him. All he knew was that he was different, and since that night, no other supernatural oddities had presented themselves, so he shoved it to the back of his mind, his main priority becoming getting the hell out of dodge and moving away.

"If it's possible, please, can I talk to Scott, Stiles and Isaac alone?" Cochran nodded and excused himself into the Sheriff's office with Stiles' father, leaving the four boys alone.

Isaac took Joel's hand once more and reached out, wiping the tear sliding down his face. "Joel, what's wrong?"

"I lied. To Daryl, to you, to the Pack." Joel pulled back from Isaac and sat down on the bench. "I'm only mildly aware of my powers. They saved me that night, but no other opportunities had come up. I think they only showed to save me when I'm in serious trouble, like when I almost got—" He didn't finish his sentence, but the boys knew where it was going.

"I'm so sorry. I only lied to protect you. Had I known that any of you were even remotely like me, I would have— Outside of my powers, everything else was true. You guys really are my closest friends. You're the only friends I've ever had. P-please don't hate me."

The boys looked at one another and back at Joel. Isaac was the first to speak up. "We don't hate you. Just know that you don't have to keep any more secrets from us, okay?" Joel nodded and reached out for Isaac's hand again, which the curly-haired boy took.

* * *

The Sheriff told Stiles to go home, but being Stiles, he was adamant about staying at his friend's side and, eventually, the Sheriff gave up. Scott and Isaac, however, were ordered to come home immediately by Melissa. Isaac came close enough to Joel for the boy to press a gentle kiss to his cheek before his departure.

"I'm getting out of this, I promise. We'll go out to dinner. Really nice place," he whispered just before Scott led Isaac out of the station. Stiles pulled a chair over next to the cell and sat down, hands fidgeting. "Thanks for staying with me, Stiles."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Joel beamed and sat down on the floor, leaning against the bars. "Can I ask you something?" Joel nodded. "I mean, you don't have to answer if you're not comfortable with it..."

"Just ask the question," Joel sighed. "I'm open. I'll tell you."

Stiles' fidgeting increased and he cleared his throat. "Are you asking me if I'm gay? Because yes, I am."

"Well, I kinda figured as much, but what I was going to ask is..." He coughed. "About your parents." Joel gave Stiles a small, sad smile.

"When I came out to them two years ago, they told me to get out and never come home," he elaborated. "They were devout Catholics and were very highly disapproving of the gay lifestyle. My dad once told me when I was a kid that if I turned out gay, they would never forgive me. And look where we are now."

Stiles bit his lower lip, deep in thought. "Well, they sent their lawyer for you. They still care about you, regardless of your lifestyle." Joel muttered something that Stiles took as an agreement. Stiles looked around for his dad before opening his backpack and handing Joel a wrapped sandwich. "Scott's mom made this for you."

As Joel ate, he looked up at Stiles and reached out, poking him. "Stiles, what did Scott mean by a cure?" Stiles averted his gaze and kept his eyes trained on Parrish, who was reading case files. "Stiles, tell me. There is literally nothing you can say now that will make me see you guys any different."

"We all agreed—well, most of us, at least—that if you have the powers you're supposed to have and then Scott gives you the Bite, it might be really, really bad." Stiles turned in his chair to look at Joel. "Do you want to be a werewolf?"

Joel seemed to think it over for a few minutes before shaking his head. "No. I don't want to be a werewolf. It's nothing against you guys, it's just it seems like so much to deal with. Full moons, hunters, rival packs, you know? I can't do that. However, I wouldn't mind being the Pack's token guy with superpowers. I'm like a real-life superhero."

* * *

"Why?" Daryl groaned. He hadn't moved from his spot on the floor since the group's arrival back at Luke's place. "Why do these things always happen to me?"

Morgan and Tracy looked down at their so-called leader. "Dude, will you relax?" Tracy sighed and lifted Daryl by the arm. "So he's not _The One_. Do we really need it? We're perfectly fine as we are. Right, guys?" The others looked up with nods and murmurs of agreement. "See?"

"But _I_ need him," Daryl whined. "I can take his powers and then be the—"

"Will you listen to yourself?" Luke spoke up for the first time. "Daryl, you're delusional. First off, our abilities don't work like that. Second, drop the arrogant douchebag act. It's been so long I think it's finally gotten to your head." Everyone had turned to their attention to the youngest of the group. "You used to be nice, Daryl. That's why we're even friends to begin with. It's not because of what we can do. Let's end it before someone gets hurt. Scott and his Pack aren't going to retaliate if there's nothing to retaliate for. Please."

Daryl looked over at Luke, green eyes sad. "You're right. Why is it the youngest who knows best?" He put an arm around Luke. "I guess something we can do now is maybe help Joel."

* * *

"We can't even see him now?" Stiles protested the next morning. He, Scott, Isaac and Derek went to visit Joel and was given the news from Parrish that Joel had been transferred. Where, according to the deputy, was a mystery.

"Stiles, it's completely out of our hands," Parrish replied, closing another case folder. "He's in the care of someone bigger than us now. I'm sorry."

Isaac leaned against the desk. "Where could they take him?"

Parrish cleared his throat and leaned in. "Don't tell anyone I told you this, but when I got here, I saw three people in white jackets taking Joel away. It was no ordinary kind of white jackets. He was gagged and was carried by one of them. Haigh allowed them entry. Wouldn't tell me where they were from." The boys looked at one another. "Another deputy said Joel got on Haigh's last nerve last night and he ordered Joel to be taken away."

"Oh, shit." Stiles put his head in his hands. "That means—"

Haigh chuckled from a nearby doorway. "That's right, Stilinski. The little shit is off to Eichen House."


End file.
